Published: Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.

DELAND -- West Volusia businessman Chester Frank DeMarsh passed Dec. 25 at his home here. He was 85.

DeMarsh founded DeLand Forge in the mid-1970s and ran the hand-crafted metal forging business on U.S. 92 until the late 1990s with the help of his sons and grandchildren.

In 1983, he got back into the family business of running movie theaters. He, along with sons Frank and Clint, took over the lease for the old Woodland Plaza Cinema from Cobb Theaters in DeLand and ran the theater until his sons built the Victoria Square 6 movie theater in 1990.

His sons, along with several other family members, now run Epic Theatres, a DeLand-based company that operates a chain of movie theater complexes in multiple states. Locally, the chain's theaters include locations in DeLand, Deltona, Palm Coast and New Smyrna Beach.

Epic Theatres also has movie complexes in St. Augustine; Clermont; and Hendersonville, N.C., as well as a drive-in movie theater in Butler, Pa.

"He didn't push us into the movie theater business. Not at all," said Clint DeMarsh of his late father. "We all sort of gravitated to it having worked in it with dad. We did it by choice."

Chester Frank DeMarsh grew up on a farm in Butler, Pa. He planned on becoming a journalist, but World War II interrupted that plan and he joined the Navy. After the war in 1947, he helped his dad convert part of the farm into a drive-in movie theater. He eventually received a business degree from Grove City College in Grove City, Pa.

The family movie business grew to 26 locations that included Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Some of the properties were sold and others leased out when Chester Frank DeMarsh and wife Eleanor moved their family of 12 to DeLand in 1974. They knew the area, having vacationed in Daytona Beach where DeMarsh's father had a house.

DeMarsh kept in touch with his agricultural roots by growing ferns on the 10-acre DeLand homesite besides hammering metal at his forge shop and operating a movie theater, son Clint said.

Even after he officially retired in 1992, he helped his sons with their then-fledgling movie theater business.

"He was helping us with wiring and other projects, but he was not really involved in the day-to-day operations," Clint DeMarsh said. "He was there if we needed him. He was very calm, happy and passionate. He was nurturing and considerate, stern, but never abusive. He loved his family, his wife and especially loved children."

Chester Frank and Eleanor DeMarsh had 10 children and 27 grandchildren.

He was also active in his church.

He was ordained as a deacon on June 5, 1982, one of the first in the Orlando Diocese. He served the St. Peter Catholic Church parish in DeLand and Prince of Peace parish in Ormond Beach.

"He was a wonderful man. Very humble and dedicated," said Monica Diefendorf, former secretary and bookkeeper at Prince of Peace. "He was there religiously for what ever the church needed, no excuses. His homilies were wonderful. Being married and with 10 children, his talks really hit the mark with most people."

Peter Woods of DeLand was a friend of DeMarsh. They served together on the West Volusia Council 6271 Knights of Columbus, were DeMarsh was selected as Grand Knight soon after moving to DeLand and joining the service organization.

"He was an impressive man, a deep thinker. He had so much stored in his head," Woods said. "He and Eleanor were both so dedicated. What ever was needed, they were there."

DeMarsh also ran St. Peters' annual Octoberfest event for the better part of a decade.

"He is the one that really grew it into what is today by adding the carnival rides," said Woods, who took over the event a couple years after DeMarsh. "He really gave of his time and did not know how to say no. He was always willing to help with what ever was needed."

The DeMarsh family has a viewing scheduled 6-8 p.m. tonight with a wake service at 7 p.m., at St Peter Catholic Church, 359 W. New York Ave., DeLand. A funeral mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday with internment to follow at DeLand Memorial Gardens.

<p>DELAND -- West Volusia businessman Chester Frank DeMarsh passed Dec. 25 at his home here. He was 85. </p><p>DeMarsh founded DeLand Forge in the mid-1970s and ran the hand-crafted metal forging business on U.S. 92 until the late 1990s with the help of his sons and grandchildren. </p><p>In 1983, he got back into the family business of running movie theaters. He, along with sons Frank and Clint, took over the lease for the old Woodland Plaza Cinema from Cobb Theaters in DeLand and ran the theater until his sons built the Victoria Square 6 movie theater in 1990.</p><p>His sons, along with several other family members, now run Epic Theatres, a DeLand-based company that operates a chain of movie theater complexes in multiple states. Locally, the chain's theaters include locations in DeLand, Deltona, Palm Coast and New Smyrna Beach. </p><p>Epic Theatres also has movie complexes in St. Augustine; Clermont; and Hendersonville, N.C., as well as a drive-in movie theater in Butler, Pa. </p><p>"He didn't push us into the movie theater business. Not at all," said Clint DeMarsh of his late father. "We all sort of gravitated to it having worked in it with dad. We did it by choice." </p><p>Chester Frank DeMarsh grew up on a farm in Butler, Pa. He planned on becoming a journalist, but World War II interrupted that plan and he joined the Navy. After the war in 1947, he helped his dad convert part of the farm into a drive-in movie theater. He eventually received a business degree from Grove City College in Grove City, Pa. </p><p>The family movie business grew to 26 locations that included Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. </p><p>Some of the properties were sold and others leased out when Chester Frank DeMarsh and wife Eleanor moved their family of 12 to DeLand in 1974. They knew the area, having vacationed in Daytona Beach where DeMarsh's father had a house. </p><p>DeMarsh kept in touch with his agricultural roots by growing ferns on the 10-acre DeLand homesite besides hammering metal at his forge shop and operating a movie theater, son Clint said. </p><p>Even after he officially retired in 1992, he helped his sons with their then-fledgling movie theater business. </p><p>"He was helping us with wiring and other projects, but he was not really involved in the day-to-day operations," Clint DeMarsh said. "He was there if we needed him. He was very calm, happy and passionate. He was nurturing and considerate, stern, but never abusive. He loved his family, his wife and especially loved children." </p><p>Chester Frank and Eleanor DeMarsh had 10 children and 27 grandchildren. </p><p>He was also active in his church. </p><p>He was ordained as a deacon on June 5, 1982, one of the first in the Orlando Diocese. He served the St. Peter Catholic Church parish in DeLand and Prince of Peace parish in Ormond Beach. </p><p>"He was a wonderful man. Very humble and dedicated," said Monica Diefendorf, former secretary and bookkeeper at Prince of Peace. "He was there religiously for what ever the church needed, no excuses. His homilies were wonderful. Being married and with 10 children, his talks really hit the mark with most people." </p><p>Peter Woods of DeLand was a friend of DeMarsh. They served together on the West Volusia Council 6271 Knights of Columbus, were DeMarsh was selected as Grand Knight soon after moving to DeLand and joining the service organization. </p><p>"He was an impressive man, a deep thinker. He had so much stored in his head," Woods said. "He and Eleanor were both so dedicated. What ever was needed, they were there." </p><p>DeMarsh also ran St. Peters' annual Octoberfest event for the better part of a decade. </p><p>"He is the one that really grew it into what is today by adding the carnival rides," said Woods, who took over the event a couple years after DeMarsh. "He really gave of his time and did not know how to say no. He was always willing to help with what ever was needed." </p><p>The DeMarsh family has a viewing scheduled 6-8 p.m. tonight with a wake service at 7 p.m., at St Peter Catholic Church, 359 W. New York Ave., DeLand. A funeral mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday with internment to follow at DeLand Memorial Gardens.</p>